Fellow Alumnae,

I hope you and your families are doing well during this strange and uncertain time in our world. As you can imagine, life at Villa looks a lot different than it did when any of us were students.  The classrooms you and I sat in are now empty, as our students have moved to online learning. The ever-active athletic fields are closed. The traditions and celebrations you and I enjoyed have been put on hold. 

 

However, through this uncertainty, I've discovered something I think we knew all along. The Villa spirit doesn't exist just within the walls of the structure at 1180 Holland Road. The Villa spirit is more than that. It exists within the people who are Villa- our students, faculty, staff, parents, friends, and of course, our Alumnae. Villa is certainly growing and thriving within our entire family.

 

You don't have to look far to discover that Villa spirit. During this time away from the walls of Villa, many students put their time and talent to good use. Some sewed masks for essential workers, while others made meals for those in need. Even our faculty and staff shared their skills. One of our teachers used Villa's own 3D printer to make PPE that was donated to our local community.

 

We've also had some fun during these times. Students and teachers created unique videos for social media, making the day-to-day announcements fun. They highlighted events such as online prayer services and club meetings. In a first for Villa, the faculty and staff celebrated the Class of 2020 with a "Become the Light" drive-through parade. The campus was lit up and decorated, as our Senior students drove through campus to waves and cheers from their Villa family. It was such an uplifting event- much needed for everyone- the students, their families, the faculty, and staff. The link to view a video from the event is posted below, under the Alumnae Office Updates section. It's worth the watch!

 

Life at Villa goes on. It might not be happening within the walls of the school right now, but it is continuing within the heart of each Villa family member.

 

I hope you check out our social media pages to see what our Villa family has been up to during this time. I think you'll see that, although life at Villa may be different right now, the Villa spirit is alive and thriving thanks to all the members of our Villa family, including you.  If you or another Alumna has been sharing that Villa spirit during this time, let us know by submitting an update here. Thank you for continuing to share that spirit, a spirit that is always more, always better, always with love.

 

We continue to pray for you and your families during this unprecedented time. Know that we are here for you now and always.

 

-Mary Beth Walinskas '96

Alumnae Relations Manager

Prayer Intentions

The Sisters of St. Casimir, Villa's Mission and Ministry Office, and the Villa community are happy to pray for any intentions you have. Please fill out this form to submit your intentions to us. God bless you!

ALUMNAE UPDATES

Maureen R. McGrath Devlin '66 shares, "It constantly amazes me how often my Villa education comes into conversation. I am so grateful to my parents and the sacrifices they made so I could attend. Over the years I've talked with other alums and always we end with fond memories. I'm especially grateful to Sodality and a weekend retreat we made in Senior year. We each received a crucifix which is always on my night table."

BethAnn Campbell Crilly '83, shares, "Sadly I lost both my mother and my father in 2019. Dr. Neil Campbell on June 25th and MaryAnn Campbell on October 7th. Happier news , our daughter Kate Crilly '12 became engaged to her boyfriend Chris. A 2021 wedding will be in Cape May NJ!"

Victoria Ettorre '10  graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) class of 2020 as a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. She will be starting residency at Morristown Medical Center in NJ in July, specializing in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Hope DeVito '14  is finishing her Masters in International Communications at St. John's University and has been accepted by Pace Law School. 

Amelia Shelley '14 was named to Muhlenberg College softball team of the decade. Read more here.

Gina D'Andrea '16 was named to the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Sportsmanship Team. The MAC Sportsmanship Teams recognize student-athletes who exemplify great character and demonstrate the act of sportsmanship both and off the field.  Read more here.

Some members of the Class of 2016 celebrating  their PSU graduation: Maddie McDermott, Julie Hagen, Kayla Everett, and Abby Karch

Briana Hocker '17 shares, "I am a current junior at Alvernia University where I am a double major in biology and theology with a minor in forensic science. This past summer, I conducted research on Photodynamic Therapy in cholangiocarcinoma patients at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. In February, I was accepted to present on the social injustices of InVitro Fertilization at the Macksey Symposium at Johns Hopkins University. For this summer, I received a grant to conduct my research on the religious background of physicians and how it impacts their opinions on the lack of insurance coverage for InVitro Fertilization."

Katherine Mangione '18 recently represented Gettysburg College at the Centennial Conference Indoor Track & Field Championship. Women's Track Performs Well at CC Championship

Emily Roth '18 shares , "I was offered an internship at a Civil Engineering firm! My second one since starting college. My first one was an amazing opportunity and I can not wait to see what this new one brings!" Congratulations, Emily!

WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENTS

BABY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Share your Good News with us!

We all love to hear what our classmates have been up to. Now you don't have to wait for the next edition of The Profiler to share your news. We can share it right here in the Alumnae Newsletter!  Click  here and tell us what's new in your life. We'd love to hear from you and share it with our Alumnae family!

ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION UPDATES

Current Executive Board:

President: Nicole Prunetti '07

Vice President: Sara Couch '04

Treasurer: Renee Kitchenman McGovern '02

Secretary: Stephanie Schlegel Shortall '01

Assistant: Sharon Citak Bell '86

Assistant: Nicole DiEnna '02

Assistant:  Andrea Bradbury Sorial '04

Assistant:  Jeannine Bradbury '07

Executive Board Elections: RESULTS

 

Congratulations to the newly elected Secretary of the Alumnae Association, Becky Flynn Hensel '99! We are grateful to both secretary candidates for their dedication and commitment to the Alumnae Association.  

 

Congratulations also to the new President-elect, Stephanie Schlegal Shortall '01! Stephanie is currently serving as Alumnae Association Secretary.  Click here to read her bio.

 

Both positions will take office beginning July 1, 2020 for a term of 2 years.

 

Thank you to all our Alumnae who cast their vote in this year's election.  The Executive Board is excited for the future of the Alumnae Association. 

 

Elections for Vice President and Treasurer will be held Spring 2021.

Class Agents

A Class Agent is a liaison between the Villa Joseph Marie Alumnae Association, in conjunction with the Alumnae Office, and her classmates. The role of a Class Agent is two-fold: to share information provided by the Alumnae Association and/or the Alumnae Office with her classmates via email, social media, and word of mouth and to encourage participation, support, idea sharing, and feedback from her classmates with the Alumnae Association and/or the Alumnae Office. A Class Agent plays an essential role in helping the school connect and reconnect with the Alumnae.

 

If you're interested in acting as a Class Agent, please sign up here. 

ALUMNAE OFFICE UPDATES

Women Today Leading Tomorrow

Villa was proud to host the first Women Today Leading Tomorrow Symposium on February 22. Thank you to the 10 sponsors that made this event possible and the 7 speakers that empowered our guests with their stories. Special thanks to our Alumnae speakers, Anna Maria Michini DiDio '74 , Christine Lacey Papp '00, Katelyn Leon Romeo '10.  Save the date for next year's Symposium on Saturday, February 27, 2021! 

Drone photo taken of the campus during the "Become the Light" event on May 4, 2020.

Share your well wishes for the Class of 2020

This year is unlike any other and the Class of 2020 is ending their high school career much differently than another other class in Villa's history. The Alumnae Association is asking our Alumnae to share words of encouragement with the senior class as they transition from students to alumnae.

You can share a video message to our  Facebook page. You can also email any well wishes to alumnae@vjmhs.org. Please send all submissions by Friday, May 15, as we will compile everything and share it with the Class of 2020 prior to their graduation.

Mentor Program 

Villa's Alumnae have countless success stories. Would you like to share your story and experience with a current Villa student by acting as a mentor? A mentor relationship with a student can be whatever you choose to make it. It can be a shadow day at your workplace, a lunchtime meeting, or even a remote connection through an email exchange. Don't feel limited!

 

For more information or to register as a mentor, click here. 

Lenten Retreat

Many Alumnae participated in a self-guided Lenten retreat this year, organized by Villa's Director of Mission and Ministry, Stephanie McCarthy.  Thank you for everyone who took part in this unique way to prepare for Holy Week and Easter Sunday. We hope you enjoyed this experience!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Do you have news or information you want to submit for publication in the Villa Joseph Marie Alumnae Newsletter? We want to hear from you! All submissions can be sent to  alumnae@vjmhs.org.  Submissions may be edited or omitted for space, clarity, or content at the sole discretion of the editor. We also welcome your questions, feedback, and suggestions. Thanks for reading the Villa Joseph Marie Alumnae Newsletter!